An incident of chilling brutality has sparked widespread shock across North Bengal after police uncovered what they describe as possible signs of cannibalism in a murder case from West Bengal’s Dinhata subdivision.
On Saturday afternoon, police recovered the slit-throat body of an unidentified man from an open field in Kurshahat, a border-adjacent and largely deserted area under Sahebganj police station. Initial investigations revealed that the victim had been living in a nearby crematorium for over a year and was believed to be mentally unstable.
The case took a macabre turn during subsequent investigation when the accused – identified as Firdous Alam (34), a resident of Saraithana village – allegedly confessed to the police to murdering the man, taking the body to his home, washing it with tap water, and attempting to consume the flesh. When the attempt failed, the body was dumped in an empty field.
The sensational crime, reported from the Sahebganj police station area, has left both residents and investigators deeply disturbed.
Dinhata sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), Dhiman Mitra, said: “Certain characteristics of cannibalism have emerged in this case. This is an extremely rare crime. The investigation is ongoing.”
He added that while the accused often remains intoxicated and speaks incoherently, there is currently no medical evidence to establish that he is mentally unsound.
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The investigation was further complicated by the absence of CCTV cameras in the remote area where the body was found. However, acting on local intelligence and source-based inputs, police traced and arrested Firdous Alam from a rehabilitation centre in Chakchaka, under the jurisdiction of Pundibari police station, early on Monday.
Sources said the accused’s family had admitted him to a rehab centre on Saturday night, shortly after the incident, citing “domestic problems.” The centre authorities were also reportedly not informed about the murder.
Police records indicate that the accused had previously been admitted to rehabilitation facilities and had been accused of assaulting a local woman in the past, though no formal complaint was lodged at the time.
“We have taken the accused on a four-day remand for further interrogation, as investigators attempt to piece together the exact sequence of events. We are yet to ascertain whether the suspect’s family was aware of his act and sent him to the rehabilitation centre hiding the brutality,” said a police officer probing into the incident.
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